Ryan Garcia’s erratic behavior has overshadowed every story involving him and WBC junior welterweight champion Devin Haney. With Garcia missing the weigh-in on Friday, the rivals will meet in the boxing ring on Saturday, with only Haney able to take the title.
The battle between two of boxing’s top young stars was thrown into a cyclone by Garcia’s alarming mental state. Garcia’s erratic behavior and obsession with conspiracy theories raised the question, “What happened to Ryan Garcia?” Many are expecting a breakout from the promising young boxer. Some viewers are hoping this is an elaborate ruse by Garcia, but his 3-pound weight loss doesn’t support that theory.
Haney seems to have his eye on the laser. The undefeated former absolute lightweight champion has a legitimate rivalry with Garcia and is unsympathetic to his opponent’s erratic behavior. Saturday will be Haney’s chance to take away Garcia’s star power. Haney is the champion and the more skilled fighter. However, Garcia’s aptitude for social media has made him a more globally recognized fighter. Haney is likely the better fighter in almost every way, but Garcia’s speed and signature left hook create enough suspicion and intrigue.
Before we make our predictions and cover the main event, let’s take a closer look at the remaining matches on the undercard.
Haney vs. Garcia fight card, odds
Devin Haney (c) -910
Ryan Garcia +575
WBC Junior Welterweight Championship
John Ramirez -200
David Jimenez +160
WBA interim flyweight title
Arnold Barboza -1100
Sean McComb +650
junior welterweight
Bektemir Melikuziev -1200
Pierre Dibombe +700
middleweight
Browsing information
Date: April 20th | Location: Barclays Center — Brooklyn, New York
Start time: 9pm ET
How to watch: DAZN PPV, PPV.com
prediction
Campbell: The puncher opportunities that Garcia brings into the ring thanks to his recent sublime hand speed and reckless demeanor are challenges that Haney will need to deftly avoid early on. But the longer this fight drags on, the more likely it is that Garcia’s fledgling technique will let him down with mistakes that could easily cost a technical master like Haney. Once Garcia settles down from his inevitably aggressive start, it’s only a matter of time before Haney lands a clean counter shot that could end the fight instantly. Pick: Haney (via KO8)
Brookhouse: There are two ways Ryan Garcia can beat Devin Haney. First, let’s look at the more complicated paths to victory. In this case, Garcia has to be better than ever while Haney has to go through the worst night of his career. So Garcia is also taking on one of the biggest troll jobs of all time by making everyone believe he’s in the midst of a psychotic episode. He is facing a health crisis and seems to be focused on things other than this fight, the biggest fight of his life.
The other path to victory for Garcia is much simpler. Are you concentrating? Are you mentally healthy? All he has to do is land his patented left hook to Haney’s chin and keep the champion down.
Haney has been in the news throughout his career, and his response was successful, if not exciting. When Jorge Linares clipped him in the 10th round of their 2021 fight, Haney ran and held rather than fight, intending to survive until the final bell. And the late-game pressure from Joseph Diaz in the next match also seemed to bother Haney a little.
But Haney got even better and grew from those fights. He was as fearless in his two fights with George Kambosos as he was in his fights with Vasily Lomachenko and Regis Prograis.
No matter how much you think about this idea, you can’t pick Garcia to get the shot you need for a knockout. Haney has no intention of losing in a battle of wits. Although he is a boxer at heart and too focused to abandon his life’s work and fight recklessly, Haney is technically better than Garcia. Unless Garcia lands the perfect punch, the real question is whether Haney will simply keep hitting him tactically for the full 12 rounds, or whether he’ll finish off Garcia. I think it’s likely the latter, and that Garcia will probably end up voluntarily leaving the fight midway through.Pick: Haney via TKO10
